Welcome to the Dorman High School Media Center Blog. The information provided on this blog is intended for Dorman High School students. We hope the information is helpful and relevant. Please feel free to contact us if you have questions.

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Many of our student users are on Facebook. So more than likely as I write this tonight, you've seen the same post amongst your friends claiming they are tagged in so-and-so's photo album, and you oh so WANT to see your friend in this obscure unknown person's album. Or it is YOU who is "tagged." Our vanity causes us to need to see it, and once you click, your Facebook account is infected.

Along the same lines as the photo-album post (from you "infected" friends) is promise of a link that will show you a horrifying online web suicide. It is not unusual for some to click through to see the promised morbid scene. Strange yes, but for teens, well, not unusual.

There is also a link that promises to show who is talking you, blocking you, or has dropped you as one of their friends. These tend to come through the message feature in FB.

WARNING: All three of these are laced with viruses that will infect your account, causing you to send out the same spammy posts to all your friends.

What's a friend to do? According to Technotica columnist/technology and science editor Helen A.S. Popkin who blogs at Technolog on MSNBC gives solid steps and a bit of a chastising on how to fix this.

Here's what to do:

Remove any content the rogue app may have posted on your Facebook wall.

Go to the Account Settings drop-down menu in the upper right side of your screen.

From the Account Settings drop-down menu, choose Privacy Settings.

On the bottom right side of the Privacy Settings Page, click the Apps & websites link "Edit your settings."

On the App page, next to "Apps you use," select edit settings.

There you will see the third-party apps that have access to your Facebook profile. Delete any rogue applications. (It's a good idea to check this setting regularly, anyway.)

Now, send an apology to all your Facebook friends who may have been tagged, and advise them to do the same.